Proposed Revision and Extension of Coal Data Collections

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Proposed Revision and Extension of Coal Data Collections

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of the proposed revision and extension of coal data

collections and solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed revision and extension of the coal

data collections included in the Coal Program Package. The following

surveys are covered by this action: Form EIA-1, ``Weekly Coal

Monitoring Report--General Industries and Blast Furnaces,'' (Standby),

Form EIA-3, ``Quarterly Coal Consumption Report--Manufacturing

Plants,'' Form EIA-3A, ``Annual Coal Quality Report--Manufacturing

Plants,'' Form EIA-4, ``Weekly Coal Monitoring Report--Coke Plants,''

(Standby), Form EIA-5, ``Coke Plant Report--Quarterly,'' Form EIA-5A,

``Annual Coal Quality Report--Coke Plants,'' Form EIA-6, ``Coal

Distribution Report,'' Form EIA-7A, ``Coal Production Report,'' and

Form EIA-20, ``Weekly Telephone Survey of Coal Burning Utilities,''

(Standby).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 13,

1995. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find

it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice,

you should

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advise the contact listed below of your intention to do so as soon as

possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Thomas Murphy, Coal Data Systems Branch,

EI-521, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.

20585. Alternatively, Mr. Murphy can be reached at [email protected]

(Internet e-mail), 202-254-5561 (voice), or 202-254-6233 (facsimile).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of the forms and instructions should be directed to Thomas

Murphy at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

II. Current Actions

III. Request for Comments

I. Background

In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Federal Energy

Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275) and the Department of

Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91), the Energy Information

Administration is obliged to carry out a central, comprehensive, and

unified energy data and information program. As part of this program,

EIA collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates data and

information related to energy resource reserves, production, demand,

and technology, and related economic and statistical information

relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet demands in the

near and longer term future for the Nation's economic and social needs.

The Energy Information Administration, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden (required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)), conducts a presurvey

consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal

agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing

reporting forms. This program helps to ensure that requested data can

be provided in the desired format, reporting burden is minimized,

reporting forms are clearly understood, and the impact of collection

requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

The coal surveys included in the Coal Program Package collect

information on coal production, distribution, receipts, consumption,

quality, stocks, and prices. Data are used to support public policy

analyses of the coal industry and are published in various EIA

publications. Respondents to the surveys include coal producers, coal

distributors, and coal consumers.

The EIA is attempting to employ electronic data collection methods

in order to better serve those customers that have or intend to have

FAX, Internet, and other electronic reporting capabilities for use in

submitting their data to the EIA. If you are a coal survey respondent,

please respond to questions E and I at the end of this notice so that

we can better serve you in the future.

II. Current Actions

Based upon an internal review of coal program data requirements and

consultations with the coal industry and data users we propose to

implement one of the following two options with respect to the surveys

in the Coal Program Package. Our objective in proposing these options

is to modify the EIA coal data program by reducing respondent reporting

burden and survey operating costs, without degrading the accuracy and

coverage of the EIA's coal data.

Option 1

EIA-6

This option proposes to reduce the frequency of the current survey

from quarterly to annual. Quarterly estimates of State-level coal

consumption in the ``Other Industrial'' and ``Residential and

Commercial Sectors'' would be made by EIA.

This option would also fill the resulting data gap of quarterly

production and producer stocks by using Mine Safety and Health

Administration (MSHA) quarterly coal production and producer stock data

so that no quarterly coal production or stock data would be collected

by EIA. The use of MSHA quarterly data has been discussed with MSHA.

MSHA plans to collect producer stock data for EIA on their quarterly

survey Form 7000-2, ``Quarterly Mine, Employment and Coal Production

Report.'' Quarterly distributor stock data would be estimated at the

State-level by EIA.

EIA-3

This option would delete the requirement for disaggregation by coal

rank (anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite) and replace

it with a check-off box to indicate the predominant rank of coal

receipts.

In Part III of this survey, we propose to delete the question

relating to the share of electricity sold to electric utilities and

rely on the EIA-867 for this information.

EIA-5

This option would delete the requirement for disaggregation of all

coal data by coal rank. Additionally, a column would be added to Part

III of the current form to clarify reporting for intra-company

transfers of coke.

EIA-3A/EIA-5A

We propose to reduce the frequency of these surveys from annual to

triennial.

EIA-7A

Since the reporting requirements for this survey can vary

significantly, depending upon the type of respondent (mine only,

preparation plant only, and mine collocated with a preparation plant),

we propose to have a common identification page and split the remainder

of this survey into three separate schedules, each of which will be

tailored to suit the type of respondent.

In addition, we propose to eliminate the collection of certain

identification information and employment data, relying instead on MSHA

data on Form 7000-2.

EIA-1/EIA-4/EIA-20

We propose to request that these forms be re-cleared without

changes.

Option 1 Burden Impact

The annual respondent burden for the current coal forms is 19,380

hours. The EIA estimates that Option 1 would reduce the annual

respondent burden to 8,437 hours, a decrease of 10,943 hours (56

percent).

Option 2

EIA-6

This option would eliminate the EIA-6 survey entirely. To partially

fill the resulting data gap for distribution to consumer sectors by

origin and destination State, we propose to add origin State for

receipts on the quarterly EIA-3 survey (manufacturing plants) and the

quarterly EIA-5 survey (coke plants). The FERC Form 423 currently

collects coal receipts data by origin for electric utility plants

having a capacity of 50MW or more. Thus the origin and destination of

coal going to most of the consuming sectors would be maintained. All

methods of transportation data would be eliminated. Some of these data

are available from outside sources, such as Resource Data

International, Association of American Railroads, and the U.S. Corps of

Engineers.

This option also eliminates State-level data covering coal

distribution to the agriculture, mining and construction sectors

(currently 0.2 percent of total annual domestic distribution) and

distribution data for the ``Residential'' and Commercial sectors

(currently 0.6

[[Page 47359]]

percent of total annual domestic distribution). Some of the data for

the agriculture, mining, and construction industries, as well as the

residential and commercial sectors can be captured on the annual Form

EIA-867, to the extent that coal consumption in these sectors is

attributable to coal-fired generators larger than 1 MW. Quarterly

estimates of national-level consumption in the agriculture, mining,

construction, and residential and commercial sectors would be made by

the EIA.

This option would fill the resulting data gap of quarterly

production and producer stocks data by using Mine Safety and Health

Administration (MSHA) quarterly coal production and producer stock data

so that no quarterly coal production or stock data would be collected

by EIA. MSHA plans to collect producer stock data for EIA on their

quarterly survey Form 7000-2, ``Quarterly Mine Employment and Coal

Production Report.'' Distributor stock data would be estimated by the

EIA at the National level.

EIA-3

This option would add State of origin of coal receipts data to the

EIA-3 to fill one of the data gaps from elimination of the EIA-6. Coal

consumption, cost, adjustments, and coal stocks (Columns B, D, E, F,

and G of the current form) would be reported in the aggregate only. We

propose to delete the requirement for disaggregation by coal rank

(anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite) and replace it

with a check-off box to indicate the predominant rank of coal receipts.

In Part III of this survey, we propose to delete the question

relating to the share of electricity sold to electric utilities and

rely on the EIA-867 for this information.

EIA-5

This option would add State of origin of coal receipts to the EIA-5

to fill another of the data gaps from elimination of the EIA-6. Coal

consumption, cost, adjustments, and coal stocks (Columns B, E, F, and G

of the current form) would be reported in the aggregate only. We

propose to delete the requirement for disaggregation of all coal data

by coal rank. Additionally, a column would be added to Part III of the

current form to clarify reporting for intra-company transfers of coke.

EIA-3A/EIA-5A

We propose to reduce the frequency of these surveys from annual to

triennial.

EIA-7A

Since the reporting requirements for this survey can vary

significantly, depending upon the type of respondent (mine only,

preparation plant only, and mine collocated with preparation plant), we

propose to have a common identification page and split the remainder of

this survey into three separate schedules, each of which will be

tailored to the type of respondent.

In addition, we propose to eliminate the collection of certain

identification information and employment data, relying instead on MSHA

data on Form 7000-2 for this information.

EIA-1/EIA-4/EIA-20

These are standby forms that would be used to monitor coal

receipts, coal consumption, and coal stocks at major coal-burning

facilities in the event of a coal supply disruption. We propose to

request that these forms be re-cleared without changes.

Option 2 Burden Impact

The annual respondent burden for the current coal forms is 19,380

hours. The EIA estimates that Option 2 would reduce the annual

respondent burden to 4,147 hours, a decrease of 15,233 hours (79

percent).

III. Request for Comments

Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment

on the actions (Options 1 and 2) discussed in item II. Comments are

also invited, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, on the coal

data collections, EIA-1, 3, 3A, 4, 5, 5A, 6, and 7A. The following

guidelines are provided to assist in the preparation of your responses.

When commenting on specific form(s), please indicate to which form(s)

your comments apply.

General Issues

EIA is interested in receiving comments from persons regarding:

A. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for

the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have practical utility. Practical utility

is the actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking

into account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the

agency's ability to process the information it collects.

B. What enhancements can EIA make to the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

C. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If

not, which instructions require clarification?

D. Can data be submitted in accordance with the due date specified

in the instructions?

E. Public reporting burden hours per response for both options in

this collection are detailed below.

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Form Option 1 Option 2

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EIA-1........................................... 1.0 1.0

EIA-3........................................... .4 .8

EIA-3A.......................................... .33 .33

EIA-4........................................... 1.0 1.0

EIA-5........................................... .9 1.4

EIA-5A.......................................... .33 .33

EIA-6........................................... 5.0 0

EIA-7A.......................................... .5 .5

EIA-20.......................................... 1.0 1.0

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Burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources

expended to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide the

information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) developing,

acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems for the

purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, maintaining,

disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the existing ways

to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements;

(4) training personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5)

searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of

information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the

information.

Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimate, and (2) how the

agency could minimize the burden of the collection of information,

including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

F. What is the estimated cost of completing the form(s), including

the direct and indirect costs associated with the data collection?

Direct costs should include all costs, such as administrative costs,

directly attributable to providing this information.

G. Do you know of any other Federal, State, or local agency that

collects similar data? If you do, specify the agency, the data

element(s), and the methods of collection.

H. Which option do you prefer and why (Option 1 or Option 2)?

I. If you have the capability, what is your electronic reporting

preference (FAX, Touch-Tone Telephone Data Entry, Internet, etc.)?

As a Potential User

J. Can you use data at the levels of detail indicated on the

form(s)?

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K. For what purpose would you use the data? Be specific.

L. Are there alternate sources of data and do you use them? If so,

what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?

M. For the most part, coal data is published by EIA in short tons

of coal. Would you prefer to see EIA publish more data in metric tons?

If yes, please specify what information (e.g., coal production, coal

consumption) and in which EIA publication(s) you would like to see such

information.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form(s). They

also will become a matter of public record.

Statutory Authority: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13).

Issued in Washington, DC, September 6, 1995.

John Gross,

Acting Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information

Administration.

[FR Doc. 95-22629 Filed 9-11-95; 8:45 am]

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